Metal frame for building construction units



May 6, 1941. L. K. MAYNE ETAL METALFRAME FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION UNVITS {2,Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15. 1959 fm w y 4 M 2 4 MC fr. yN n X M 4 i May 6, 1941.A

L. K. MAYNE ETAL 2,241,266

METAL FRAME FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION UNITS Filed July l5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R, mi, n. www m wf n @a m NJN A w Patented May 6, 1941 METAL FRAME Foa BUILDING coNs'rRUof -'r1oN UNITS.

" Lyle K. Mayne andAlexander Callander, Linden. N. J., assignors Vto American Cyanamid & Chemical Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware f `Application- July 15. 1939, serial No. y284.626

Claims. (01.189-36) The present invention relates to a metal frame for building construction units. There is on the market today a building unit which includes a precast slab of set cementitious material of gypsum or the like having tongued and grooved metallic edge members. 4

A preferred manner of constructing this unit .A

is, rst, lto form a frame by passing a hot rolled galvanized steelstrip through requisite punches and formingA dies to `shape it into a channel element having a web and flanges aty each end of the web.lwith terminal portions of the flanges extending at an angle thereto and constituting strengtheningportions. As usually made, there are-two such channel members, the web of one including la tongue and the web of the other includingagroove. Each of these shapes is then bent to form two sides of a rectangular frame and ther two thus formed sections joined together io make a rectangular frame by inserting flat angular locking pieces into the corners.

These open metal frames are then placed upon molding tables and the plastic cementitious mix poured thereinto and permitted to set. The precast shapes are then subjected Ato a drying temperature and the slabs are ready"for use.

While the above method of manufacture of the frames is eminently satisfactory, yet it is the purpose of this invention to accomplish the same end in a. cheaper manner with the same degree of eiciency.

To this end, the invention contemplates in its broadest aspect. the forming of channel members which will eventually constitute the frame, from hot or cold rolled metallic strips by passing them through requisite dies and rolls and then bending them to shape.

Where the frame is made from a single strip or where made from two strips, the adjoining ends are fastened together in the following manner:

In the punching operation which precedes the shape rolling of the strips, sections are removed so that when finally rolled, an extension on the strengthening portions of the ilanges may be made to engage isolated upstanding ears on an adacent side of the frame, and the frame sides thus locked together. The integral corners of the frame are rigidly held in `their proper relationship inthe same manner.

Such a construction is of particular advantage where used with aninterior fill of set cementitious material in that neither the webs, tongues and grooves or flanges are mutilated or have projections outstanding therefrom which might K interfere in the use of the finished unit.

The invention further consists in the'novel arrangement. combination and construction of parts more fully described hereinafter and show in the accompanying drawings.

In'the drawingsi Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank. showing the stripafter having passed through the-punchingV machine and prior to Apassage through the form-- ing rolls;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the blank of Fig. 1 after having passed through the forming rolls and showing the manner of bending one end thereof to make an angular corner;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a formed section showing one corner locked and the end of the channel containing the tongue about to be joined to the end of achannel containing a groove;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the right hand section shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectonaliview along the line 5\5 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; y

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a completed building unit constructed according to the present lnvention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the blank is shown at I consisting of a length of strip metal formed either by hot or cold rolling and which has been passed through a punching machine and cutter to remove central areas therefrom and to shape the ends thereof. The dotted lines on this figure indicate the lines along which the strip is bent when it is passed through the forming rolls in order to shape the channel of Fig. 2.

Bending the .blank of Fig. 1 along the lines 2 and 3 forms either the tongue 4 or groove 5 as the case may be. Deformation along the lines B determines the upper and lower flanges 1, while further bending along the lines 8 produces the angular strengthening end portions 9 on the flanges l.

As shown, an area I0 has been punched out of 'the center and ends of the blank of Fig. 1. from that portion thereof which would normally be included within the tongue or groove, in order to cause these parts of the structure to lie closely adjacent when forming a right angular bend as at H in Fig. 4 in the case of the groove or to open out as at l2, in Fig. 7 in regard to the tongue. likewise, areas I3 have been removed to permit the ends of the flanges l to closely abut out the use of extraneous or loose parts.

in a smooth t. This is particularly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

In removing the area I3, a cut is made along a portion of the line 8 so as to leavevan extension I4 on the strengthening portion 9 of the ange 1. Also, a. portion of this strengthening rib 9 has been removed as at I6 to form an isolated ear I1 for a purpose about to be described.

After the blank of Fig. 1 has been formed into the shape shown in Fig. 2, the extreme right hand end is then bent in the direction of the arrow. The extension I4 is then passed back of the upstanding ear Il, around and in front of the same, to closely lie thereover so as to lock the channel together at this point.4 The completed corner is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

It is understood that in Fig. "I, the web I8 carrying the groove 5 extends integrally around the corner between the sides A-B, while the web carrying the tongue `4 extends integrally around the corner between the frame sides C and D. 'I'he loose corner between these frame parts is joined in the same manner as described above. The left hand end of Fig. 3 shows the two parts about to be secured together. It 'will be seen from the above that such a method of fastening the two parts together or strengthening a corner in which the web is integral thereover is accomplished in a particularly simple manner and with- The fact that the strengthening edge 9 has a direct right angular pull from the ear I1 by reason of the extension I 4, produces a very sturdy type of construction.

If it is desired to fill these frames with cementitious material, such as gypsum or the like, the ilanges, webs, tongues and grooves have no outstanding projections thereon which would otherwise interfere with the clos'e fitting of the parts together during erection, while the extensions I4 as wrapped around the ears I1 are embedded in cementitious material and thus are absolutely prevented from accidentaldetachment.

Obviously the frame may be formed from a single strip of sheet metal rather than two secl tions, in which event it will only be required to join the two ends.

While the invention has been shown and described with particular reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that it is not to'be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A rectangular frame for building construction units including a metal shape having a Web, a ilange at each side edge of thezweb, each flange having a side edge terminal portion at an angle to the flange, the terminal portion on one side of the frame being interlocked with a like terminal portion on an adjacent side of the frame the second terminal portion being partially embraced Y by the first terminal portion.

2. A rectangular frame for building construction units including a metal shape having a web, a iiange at each side edge of the web, each iiange having a terminal side edgeportion at an angle to the flange, the flanges being cut back obliquely at one end of one side of the frame, the ends of the terminal portions of those flanges extending outwardly beyond the inside end of the oblique cut, the thus formed extension being interlocked with a like terminal portion of the adjacent frame side the second terminal portion being partially embraced by the rst terminal portion.

3. A rectangular frame for building construc-v tion units including a metal shape having a web, a Ilangeat each side edge of the web, each ange having a terminal side edge portion at'an angle to the flange, the terminal portion on oneside of the frame being interlocked with a like terminal portion on an adjacent side of the frame, byzextending back of, around a part of and in front of the same.

4. The frame of claim 1 in which the web extends integrally on two sides thereof.

5. The frame of claim 1 in which the frame formed of a single piece of sheet metal.

' LYLE K. MAYNE.

ALEXANDER CALLANDER. 

